1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for generating routes for watercraft. Still more particularly, the present invention relates generally to a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for generating route plans for oceangoing vessels to avoid treacherous environments.
2. Description of the Related Art
Commercial vessels carry cargo, goods, passengers, and/or materials from one port to another. Commercial vessels may include, for example, tankers, bulk carriers, container vessels, and passengers. Globally, tens of thousands of vessels make crossings over the seas from one port to another port. A typical cargo vessel may make anywhere from ten to thirty crossings per year. Often, at any one time, one thousand to three thousand commercial vessels are at sea.
With these large numbers of commercial vessels, every year commercial vessels, such as large container vessels, bulk cargo vessels, and tanker vessels, encounter treacherously large seas. These encounters typically result in these types of vessels sustaining damage, loosing cargo, or in some cases the loss of the entire vessel. This type of phenomenon usually occurs during the winter months. One example is the north Pacific, where vessels follow a great circle route to and from Asia to the west coast of North America. Wave heights in excess of 100 feet have been reported. These sizes of waves are of a size that may damage or destroy even the largest vessels. Thus, thousands of commercial vessels are at potential risk for damage or loss.
With this situation, shipping companies are faced with a dilemma. In order to maximize profits, shipping companies need to minimize ocean crossing time. This minimization of the crossing time may include routes that place their vessels in a path of a dangerous storm or other treacherous conditions. The potential consequences of being caught in a treacherous environment on the ocean may result in excessive roll that may damage the vessel and the cargo.
A number of different types of dangerous conditions may occur on the seas to cause a treacherous environment. These conditions include several dangerous types of wave encounter conditions. The conditions include harmonic resonance, parametric roll motion, and slamming into heavy head seas. Currently, vessel operations employed to handle these types of situations are reactive in nature. For example, a vessel may respond to observing these types of conditions by reducing speed or changing course to avoid these situations.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for routing vessels in a manner to avoid treacherous environments.